This is a fun one! Or maybe not.. I won’t judge this thing until I haven’t tried it but you’ll probably agree with me when I say this is the most peculiar piece of gear I’ve seen in a very long time. Meet the GimbalGun – a support rig for your single handed gimbal plus a truckload of accessories.
Although the name might suggest otherwise, this is not a war machine but a support rig (which does look a little bit like a giant gun, granted). The GimbalGun was invented and DIY’d by William Graham, based in Portland, ME, out of necessity. Since he tended to overload his gimbal with way too much accessories he needed something more comfortable to hold and operate. The GimbalGun was born.
In order to bring this to life Will has just started to a Kickstarter campaign, watch the intro video below:
Now that we know what this is, let’s dive into the features of this unusual device!
GimbalGun – Features
The GimbalGun itself is made form a lightweight yet strong aluminium 6061 alloy. The whole unit just weighs 750 grams. And the size? It does look huge, but rest assured: This is only a prototype (70cm x 6cm x 6cm). The final product will be smaller and (hopefully way) more compact. The main goal of the GimbalGun is to better distribute the weight of your Gimbal plus accessories and of course the device itself. Therefore it comes with a padded shoulder strap which attaches via two swivel hooks to the GimbalGun. Furthermore, two removable handles, a monitor mount and a mini tripod are included.
EDIT: since the video and photos were take, Will already made some improvements and this is what he wrote us: We found that the GimbalGun™ was a bit to wide and tall, making it a bit bulky. We have slimmed the new design down, making it lighter and easier to access the underside to screw in screws.
Just like any other accessory, the gimbal itself attaches to the GimbalGun via a 1/4 20 screw insert on the bottom. The supplied monitor mount is height-adjustable and also serves as a handle. In this configuration you can bring the monitor way closer to your face which is pretty nice.
The elephant in the room is obvious here, though: This thing is.. huge?! Having a gimbal’s weight rest on the shoulder and back is nice but the main advantage of deploying a single-handed gimbal in the first place is that it’s not huge. You can shoot in tight locations, follow a talent through narrow doorways and around corners. What good is a device like the GimbalGun in that scenario?
I think the idea is solid and it makes a lot of sense but at this stage the GimbalGun is just too big. Let’s hope Will finds a way to make the device more compact and thus better suited for more use cases. If you want to support him, check out his campaign over at Kickstarter.
Please keep in mind that Kickstarter is not a shop or a market place and there are certain risks when backing up a project.
What do you think? Is the GimbalGun something you would bring on your next shoot? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Crack light is a new Kickstarter campaign by Blind Spot Gear. It is a tiny, flexible and waterproof LED panel, consisting of 49 daylight (6000K) LEDs and is powered via USB connector. It can be used either with or without a dimmer and can be mounted basically anywhere.
Blind Spot Gear is an innovative camera accessories company, based in Scotland. They already launched five previous crowdfunding campaigns in the past, like the Tile light, Scorpion light, or the little multifunctional battery mount Power Junkie, which we reviewed last year. Now, Blind Spot is launching their 6th Kickstarter campaign with a new portable light panel – the Crack light. What does it offer?
Crack Light
The Crack light is a small, waterproof light panel with 49 LEDs. When I say small, I mean really small – the extremely slim panel has smartphone-like dimensions and it only weighs 19 grams (without accessories). The light panel is flexible, so it can be bent to suit various mounting needs (more on mounting options later).
Crack Light – Very small and flexible
As the Crack light consists of daylight LEDs only, the temperature is fixed at 6000K and can only be tweaked with gels. The LED panel was developed last year in cooperation with a South Korean company, PROFOUND. There is a full-size USB connector with a short cable, and the Crack light can be either directly connected to a USB power source for immediate full light output, or it can be connected to the dimmer. The dimmer provides an on/off switch and, of course, a step-less dimming wheel. The whole connectivity is based on full-size USB connectors but Blind Spot claims to have a full range of accessories available, once the Kickstarter campaign ends. They will offer a variety of USB adapters (to Micro USB, USB-C, Apple iPhone lightning. etc.), USB hubs to power more lights, cables, and more.
Crack Light dimmer
When it comes to mounting the Crack light, there are various options. Blind spot decided to make a whole video with tips on how to mount the panel. Their favourite mounting solution includes the GoPro mounting system, which is quite inexpensive and offers a great amount of flexibility. Other options involve white tack, velcro strips, or rubber bands.
Crack Light – Tech Specs
Light source: High CRI LED (5V)
Beam angle: 120°
Color temperature: Daylight (SGD) 6000K
CRI: typically 95 (R9, R12 :90)
TLCI: typically 97
Photometric data: 155 lux at 1m distance
Dimming: 3-100% continuous (flicker free)
Power supply: external battery (5V USB)
Weight: 19g (light sheet only)
Available packages on Kickstarter start at approximately $40 for one early bird Crack light panel. The full retail price for the light, after the Kickstarter campaign is over, will be $60. A Crack light with the dimmer is available for an early bird price of approximately $75 (full retail price of this package will be $106). Blind Spot also offers a few bundles of more light panels. The company expects to deliver the Crack lights to Kickstarter backers during July 2019.
Blind Spot is already experienced in crowdfunding campaigns and the Crack light seems to be a finished product, already. Still, please keep in mind that Kickstarter is not a shop or market place and there are certain risks when backing up a project.
What do you think of Blind Spot’s Crack light? Can you imagine this tiny flexible light panel complementing your kit? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Inuk is a compact universal support rig for payloads of up to 1.5 kg. It can be mounted literally everywhere using suction cups, magnets, or straps. Inuk is now live on Kickstarter with four different sets available.
Inuktech is an Italy-based start-up camera gear company founded in 2018 by a team with a professional background in Manfrotto. This compact universal support rig named Inuk seems to be their first product. It is a carbon fiber platform with foldable arms and legs (patent pending).
Inuk aims to replace multiple products and serve as a universal all-purpose mounting solution for smartphones, action cameras, or compact cameras. According to the manufacturer, it will be able to accommodate a payload of up to 1.5 kg. I would personally be a bit afraid to mount a mirrorless camera to it, as it looks kind of wobbly from some clips in their promotional video. For a smartphone or action camera i,t could be ok, but I cannot say for sure without having tested the product first.
When folded, Inuk only has a “smartphone-like” dimensions of 170 x 90 x 25mm (6.69 x 3.54 x 0.98″) and it weighs 160g (0.35lbs) so it should easily fit in a pocket. From the folded position it opens three legs, which serve as tripod support, and two foldable arms to accommodate accessories such as lights or microphones. In the middle of the carbon fiber platform, there is a rubber pad and a standard 1/4-20″ camera screw. Those three legs also have rubber pads and can even be equipped with magnets, suction cups, or straps to expand mounting possibilities.
Furthermore, the company claims other accessories and add-ons for the Inuk, such as dolly or slider, are already in development.
Inuktech offers four different kits on Kickstarter:
Starter kit – includes Inuk, 1/4″-20 universal camera mounting screw, GoPro clamp, Smartphone clamp, and 3× Straps. Early bird price starts at €39 (about 44 USD).
Creative kit – includes everything from Starter kit, Ergonomic handle, and mini ballhead. Available for €48 (about 55 USD).
Video maniac kit -includes everything from Creative kit, 3× Magnets, and 3× Suction cups. Starts at €57 (about 65 USD).
Video maniac pro kit – includes everything from Video maniac kit, but there are stronger suction cups. Starts at €61 (about 65 USD).
As with every Kickstarter campaign, please be aware of certain risks when sending the money to support the product.
What do you think about the Inuk universal support rig? Can you imagine including such a product in your kit? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

The Lomogon 2.5/32 Art Lens is a new crowdfunding campaign by Lomography. This fully manual lens offers a unique aperture ring with circular aperture cutouts, 32mm focal length and 0.4m minimal focusing distance. It covers full-frame sensors and will be available for a variety of cameras with both, a black aluminum and a brass body version.
Lomogon 2.5/32 Art Lens. Source: Lomography
Lomography manufacture a whole range of analogue cameras, premium art lenses, films, as well as accessories in the field of analogue, experimental and creative photography. The company has a tradition of launching new products in form of crowdfunding campaigns. Their 10th crowdfunding project, the Lomogon 2.5 32mm lens is now online on Kickstarter and it is doing very well. The funding goal has long been reached and there is still time (till March 22) to pledge and receive the product later.
Lomogon 2.5/32 Art Lens
The first thing that caught my eye in regards to this lens (apart from the color of the brass version) is the unique approach to the aperture ring. Changing the aperture on the Lomogon lens is possible only by rotating the offset wheel with its round cutouts, which kind of sticks out of the side of the lens. There are five cutouts within the ring, resulting in apertures of f/2.5, f/4, f/5.6, f/8 and f/11. Due to this design, every aperture that is set is perfectly round and therefore results in a unique circular bokeh. Thanks to the “click-and-stop” system it is easy to feel every aperture cutout that you can lock in place.
Changing the aperture on the Lomogon lens. Source: Lomography
The Lomogon 2.5/32 art lens is (as the name implies) a 32mm focal length, fully manual prime lens. 32mm is quite close to a human’s biological field of view and is very close to 35mm (which, in my opinion, is the best universally usable focal length). It has a minimum focusing distance of only 0.4 m (15.7″). The lens features a 62mm filter thread and it will be available with a black aluminum or brass chassis.
Lomogon 2.5/32 Art Lens. Source: Lomography
The Lomogon was developed together with the Russian manufacturer Zenit and assembled by hand with glass optics in China. It has been tested by photographers and videographers all around the globe – through photo series, music videos, documentaries and more. Its design is inspired by the Lomo LC-A: the little camera that has sparked the whole Lomography movement and aesthetic in 1992. The Lomogon is trying to recreate some of these classic looks – bold contrast, sweet saturation, and moody vignetting.
The look of the Lomogon 2.5/32 Art Lens. Source: Lomography
Constructed with six multi-coated lens elements in six groups, the Lomogon corrects optical aberrations to minimize distortion and improve micro-contrast for richer colors and tone transitions. The Lomogon Art Lens will be available with Canon EF or Nikon F mount. It is designed for full-frame sensors, but will of course also work with smaller sensor cameras. It’s compatible with a variety of SLR and mirrorless cameras when using an adapter: Sony E mount, FUJIFILM X, Micro 4/3, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and more.
The Lomogon 2.5/32 Art Lens can be used on variety of cameras via adapters. Source: Lomography
Lomogon 2.5/32 Technical Specifications
Focal length: 32 mm
Lens construction: 6 elements in 6 groups
Dial aperture stops: f/2.5, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11
Image circle: 44 mm
Field of view: 68 degrees
Lens mounting profile: Canon EF and Nikon F
Electronic contacts: no
Closest focusing distance: 0.4 m
Focusing mechanism: Helicoid
Filter thread: 62 mm
The lowest early-bird offers are sold out already (unless you buy two lenses). Currently, the price for one lens on Kickstarter starts at $350 USD for the black aluminum version. There is a brass version as well as a special collector’s edition available, too. The Lomogon will have retail prices starting at $499 USD.
Lomography is aiming to have the Lomogon ready for delivery by November 2019 (estimate only). Once the campaign is over, backers will be able to choose add-ons (like an adapter) starting at $13 USD, as well as accessories with special Kickstarter discounts. The Lomogon will be available for delivery in most countries around the world, but shipping fees will vary. For all shipping and handling details, you can refer to the FAQs section.
(Notice: this is a crowdfunding campaign and there are certain risks. Keep that in mind when sending the money!)
What do you think about this new, unique lens by Lomography? Do you have experience with any other product from their portfolio? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

SwitchPod is a new aluminum tripod designed primarily for quick switching between vlogging handheld mode and standard tripod mode. It features a lightweight and compact design for traveling with a small kit while at the same time being very sturdy. Its Kickstarter campaign has been very successful so far and there is still time left until the end of March, to pledge and get one.
Pat Flynn and Caleb Wojcik are two filmmakers based in San Diego, USA. They designed the SwitchPod within 14 months, after having the idea for such a product in late 2017. In the end of January 2019, they have finally launched the Kickstarter campaign for the SwitchPod with a goal of US$ 100,000. Their goal was reached within 12 hours. This again shows how popular vlogging is, nowadays. They also did a smart move in terms of marketing by giving their product to popular YouTube vloggers. A couple of them made a video about it and that definitely helped to get a lot of attention.
Popular YouTube vloggers tested out the SwitchPod. Source: SwitchPod
SwitchPod – Replacing GorillaPod in Vloggers Kits?
Currently lots of vloggers use a GorillaPod, as it can also be (kind of) modified to stand as a tripod and function as a vlogging handle, too.The SwitchPod should function a lot better for both needs, as popular vloggers have stated. It is sturdier, more compact, and more comfortable to hold.
The aluminum legs are designed to be held, as they have an ergonomic grip-like shape. There is also a small piece of rubber on each leg to prevent them from sliding, when used in tripod mode. On the top, there is a standard 1/4-20″ tripod screw and a tightening knob, which can be used to directly attach a camera, a flat base tripod head or just a quick release plate.
Various heads or quick release plates can be used. Source: SwitchPod
There are magnets on the legs to help keep them collapsed while in vlogging mode, which are gentle enough, so that switching to tripod mode can be done with a flick of the wrist.
The design is very compact: when the tripod is collapsed in vlogging mode, it is only 0.75″ (19mm) thick and can therefore be slid into basically any backpack pocket. Thanks to the cutouts in the legs, it can also be clipped onto a carabiner, for instance. The overall weight of the SwitchPod is only 11.1 oz (315 g), which is an important factor for a device meant to be held in a (possibly stretched) hand for some time.
Thickness of the SwitchPod in comparison. Source: SwitchPod
The SwitchPod is designed to be very sturdy. The creators demonstrated that the tripod can even hold a (centered) payload of 100 pounds. An attached tripod head would of course limit that, but it is nice to see the legs being a solid base. On the legs of the tripod, there are two additional ¼-20″ threads so that you can add accessories, like a mic, a monitor, or an LED light.
Additional accessories can be mounted on the legs. Source: SwitchPod
SwitchPod Key Specs
Weight: 11.1 oz (315 grams)
Material: aluminum (alloy)
Length in collapsed handle mode: 11″ (279mm)
Size of handle: 1.5″ (38mm) deep by 0.75″ (19mm) wide
Size in tripod mode: 9.75″ (248mm) tall by 9.75″ (248mm) wide
Color: black
Two ¼-20 threads for accessories
Circle pad to protect base of camera
Patent pending
When it comes to pricing – the early bird price of US$ 69 is gone already, so it is now possible to pledge US$ 79 to qualify for one SwitchPod or US$ 149 to qualify for two SwitchPods. A link to the campaign is here. The estimated delivery is August or September 2019. The creators claim to have a finalized design and fixed supply chain, so the product should arrive on time. Nevertheless, this is still crowdfunding and there are certain risks. Keep that in mind, when sending the money.
What do you think about the SwitchPod? If you vlog, what do you use to hold the camera? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

SteadyCross is not a traditional Steadicam/Glidecam, nor it is a motorized 3-axis gimbal, it’s a new type of “magnetic camera stabilizer.” Let’s see how it’s different from the rest of the competition.
A New Sort of Glidecam
A few days ago, a brand new company called SteadyCross published on Indiegogo an exciting new product. Like a traditional mechanical Steadicam/Glidecam, it doesn’t require any source of power to work.
I love the natural movements and feeling of a mechanical stabilizer. It requires a bit of practice, but it’s not going to let you down because of a firmware/power/motor issue. Also, I like to rely on my skills and what I want to do during the take and not fight against the motors of a gimbal. However, as always, the right tool for the right job, and in certain circumstances, a gimbal can be the perfect tool for some shots.
The SteadyCross, like a Glidecam, is designed with a Manfrotto-style 501 plate on top of the stabilizer. So, it is easy to quickly mount/un-mount your camera to the SteadyCross, without hitting any motor like a Gimbal.
Also, at the bottom of the SteadyCross, there are some counterweights to help you balance the SteadyCross depending on your camera.
Half-Way Like a 3-Axis Gimbal
SteadyCross claims it’s “the first 3-axis gimbal which uses Eddy Current for camera stabilization”.
Long story short, there is an aluminum ring and a circular array of neodymium magnets around it at the bottom of the stabilizer. This magnetic system is what SteadyCross calls the Magnetic Rotor, and that should provide frictionless rotational damping.
Under the “magnetic rotor” are the counterweights. Also, a 3-legs tripod is built-in the SteadyCross to put it down between takes.
Another similarity to a 3-axis gimbal, the SteadyCross is a dual rubber handles system, with a proprietary Torsion Limiter that eliminates the “pendulum effect.” The pendulum effect is one of the most common disadvantages of a Glidecam because it requires some practice to get your shots perfectly level.
Technical Specifications & Pricing
The SteadyCross is made of rigid aluminum and stainless steel body. The custom-designed parts are 3D printed and made of industrial grade ABS plastic.
This stabilizer can support cameras up to 3.5lbs/1.6Kg. If you need to travel light, you can quickly remove the arms by releasing a couple of screws with the supplied hex wrench.
You can pre-order the SteadyCross through the Indiegogo campaign for $249 ex. VAT + shipping, early-bird price. Regular retail price is $399 ex. VAT + shipping.
Please note: This is a crowdfunding campaign, not an online shop where you buy and receive merchandise in the next couple of days, so keep that it in mind when backing up this or any other campaign.
The crowdfunding campaign is already at $26,000, so it is over the $10,000 goal and will be funded. The campaign ends on the March 8th and product should be in your hands during March. Hence, let’s hope it gets delivered on time, hard to be sure with any crowdfunding projects (and don’t say we didn’t warn you if there are delays).
What do you think of the SteadyCross? Would this be useful for your type of shoots? Let us know your thoughts or experiences in the comments below the article!

Power Grip is a universal rig handle for filmmakers looking to consolidate accessories. Using the Kickstarter platform an Italian trio has designed a top handle with built in battery and start/stop record for your compact camera.
I love a good old-fashioned, labour of love Kickstarter. The Power Grip looks like something straight out of a designer’s basement.
Its core feature is offering an external power solution for compact cameras, whilst attempting to solve the often-subsequent dilemma of rigs becoming a little bulky and unbalanced.
Whether it currently fulfills both is up for debate, but entrepreneur Marcello Mazzilli is “confident” a 20% reduction in size and weight on the final model, fingers crossed.
The Power Grip has an array of 1/4 and 3/8” threads on the sides and top for adding accessories.
The battery in the grip is a removable 50W, 6A lithium battery that’s said to have more capacity than 3 Canon LP-E6s. It connects via a pole tap DC Out 7.4V/12v port.
There’s a screen on top which provides information such as battery voltage, as well as an integrated 10W front LED lamp, bubble level on the top and (get this) a telemeter on the front for calculating subject distance for focusing.
The Power Grip has a removable bracket for mounting to your camera, Nato rail, 3 hole and single hole brackets will all be available.
The start/stop button is located on the top of the Power Grip and is controlled via LANC and compatible Bluetooth cameras.
My two cents would be to drop the light and telemeter, the former is too small to offer much use and the latter I can never see being used; operators will pull their own focus and focus pullers have their own tried & tested techniques.
Efforts would be best spent reducing the size and weight of the Power Grip, as well as adding a second DC Out for powering accessories.
The Kickstarter campaign is currently live, a €149 pledge will get you the Power Grip (predicted €50 saving from retail price).
Please bear in mind that this is a Kickstarter campaign, not an online shop. Once the campaign is over, production will be ramped up and if everything goes smoothly, shipping should start.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this innovative product. Please share your opinion in the comment section below.

There is an interesting product campaign on Indiegogo at the moment – pocket projector called PIQO. It offers 1080p image at up to 240″ with 200 lumens output in a tiny cubical body. It runs on Android and can connect to basically any device.
The PIQO pocket projector is certainly an intriguing product and its creators are running a successful campaign on Indiegogo: It is a very portable projector in a cubical shape (only 2.25″ each side). It runs on Android 7 Nougat system and can function as a standalone entertainment device or connect to a phone, laptop or any other device – wirelessly or with a cable. There is a 64 bit quad-core CPU in the projector to ensure the Android runs smoothly. PIQO uses DLP technology (digital light processing – more on the technology here) with long life LED light to project the image.
In terms of connectivity, the PIQO projector is quite versatile – it has full-size HDMI and USB inputs and it supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-fi. It can instantly pair with a device regardless of the operating system – it accepts Windows, Android, iOS and iMac devices. The projector has a built-in memory of 16GB for saving offline content to watch or listen without an internet connection. That is quite a small memory if you ask me. On the other hand, connected USB-stick can provide the additional memory when needed.
Even though the device is really tiny, it also includes oversized Hi-Fi speakers which should (hopefully) provide decent sound. The built-in battery is supposed to provide up to 5 hours of video playtime or 50 hours of music playback. With the quick charge feature, just 15 minutes of charge time can power PIQO up for an hour of video playback.
Controlling of the projector is done via touchscreen on top. It allows users to select the media, apps and more by simply dragging and clicking. There are five more touch icons around the central touch area to make controlling the volume, screen dimension, and navigation easy. Thanks to the Android system, the PIQO is compatible with many apps from the Google Play store – including YouTube or Netflix.
Not only is the PIQO projector equipped with a screen mirroring function. It also features gravity sensors that allow for automatic image angle adjustments on an uneven surface. With the touch of a button, the projector will correct its own angle. They call the function “intelligent keystone auto-correction projection”.
PIQO Pocket Projector – Key Specs
Image resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
Image size: maximum 240″ (diagonal)
Image brightness: 200 lumen
DLP projector
Long life LED light
S905 64 bit quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU
Hi-Fi speakers
16GB built-in memory
powered by Android 7 Nougat
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-fi, HDMI, USB
Battery: 5 hours video playtime or 50 hours music playback
intelligent keystone auto-correction projection
Dimensions: 2.25 x 2.25 x 2.25″ (5.7 x 5.7 x 5.7cm)
Weight: 7.5oz (210g)
Pricing and Availability
The prices now start at $325 + shipping for one PIQO projector unit. The price per unit is a bit lower when you order more – with 4 pieces ($1,050 + shipping) it is $262.50 + shipping. Please note, that this still is a crowdfunding campaign, not an online shop where you buy and it gets shipped, so keep that in mind when sending the money.
The crowdfunding campaign already exceeded $800,000 so it will, of course, be successfully funded. It ends on 27th January, so there is still time to be part of it and get the PIQO projector. What I find interesting (and a bit weird) is, that the estimated delivery of the products is March 2019, but the Indiegogo site says that PIQO is at a prototype stage. Seems to me rather as a production stage already given the delivery date. I also found out the product has been in development since November 2017, so it should be ready for mass production. Let’s hope it gets delivered on time, hard to be sure with any crowdfunding projects (and don’t say we didn’t warn you if there are delays).
What do you think of the PIQO pocket projector? Do you use some kind of portable projector? Would this be useful to present your work to clients on the go? Let us know your thoughts or experiences in the comments below the article.